Automatic microphone boom



Sept. 8, 1936.

D. D. JONES AUTOMATIC MICROPHONE BOOM Filed May 12, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l 5 0 5 W ww .M my a N l L a, D m m J T 9 a 1 7 5 x Dram/n Dame/ Jane:

INVENTOR ATTORNEY Sept. 8, 1936. D. D. JONES AUTOMATIC MICROPHONE BOOM Filed May 12, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dramin Daniel Jones INVENTOR ATI'IORNEY Patented Sept. 8, 1936 PATENT oFFicE AUTOMATIC MICROPHONE BOOM Dramin Daniel Jones, Jersey City, N. J. Application May 12, 1934, Serial No. 725,233

6 Claims.

' This invention relates to improvements in means for obtaining the correct location of the microphone in a broadcasting or sound recording studio. Heretofore it has been common to have 5. :the production man do this by moving the microphone around by hand. It is, however, the mainobject of the production man to represent thepublic and see to it that the program as it V reaches the listener is of the highest possible 10 quality. This he can not judge very well unless he receives the program transmitted by electrical means similar to those utilized by the ultimate listener. The correct position for the production man is therefore in the studio control room. It

5 is, therefore, the object of the present invention top rovide automatic means whereby the production man from his vantage point in the control room may by a touch of his finger direct the microphone to any position desired. From this 2'0 point he may also supervise the mixing of the program and may thus obtain any effect desired. Further objects will be evident from the following specification and claims.

I attain these objects by mechanism illustrated 25 .in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig l is a plan view of the device, viewing it from below along the line ll in Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a sectional view along the line 2-2 in- Fig. 1.

30 Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a microphone boom suitable for swinging in a complete circle, this section istaken along line 3-3 in Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 is a partial plan view of the boom shown in Fig. 3, seen from above along line 4-4 in 35 Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a wiring diagram indicating schematically the connections for obtaining lateral and vertical movements by the use of one motor only.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts 40 throughout the several views.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the boom I is at one'end supported under the disc ll while the other end is supplied with a wheel l2 riding on the track [3. The disc II is mounted on a 45 hub I4 which is journalled on pivot I which is rigidly mounted on plate l6 supported from the ceiling i1. On part of the circumference of disc H is cut gear teeth which are in mesh with the worm gear 18 driven by motor [9 whereby 50 said disc H may be rotated at will around pivot [5. On disc II is further mounted motor 20 driving shaft 2| carrying drum 22 upon which are several turns of the cable 23 which runs out I along the boom [0 to a pulley 24 at the far end 66 of s amc and returns again to drum 23. At one point said cable 23 is fastened to the trolley 25 which thus by starting the motor 2!] may be made to move along the boom 10. Shaft 2| extends to bearing 26 and carries worm gear 2'! driving drum 28 upon whichis wound the cable 29 which runs '5' to a pulley 39 on trolley 25 and in the end of which cable 29 hangs the microphone 3|. The cable 29 upon leaving drum 28 goes around drums 32 and 33 in several turns before going to pulley 30. Drum 32 is mounted rotatably on a shaft supported on disc II while drum 33 is mounted on block 34 through which goes the lead screw 35 extending from the shaft of the geared head motor 35. By rotating this screw 35 one way or the other drum 33 may be moved along the 1.5 screw 35 and thus shorten or lengthen the distance from drum 32. As the cable 29 is held taut by the weight of the microphone 3| any movement of the drum 33 will raise or lower the microphone.

The diameters of drums 22 and 28 and the ratio of the worm gear 21 are chosen in such relation.- ship that turning the shaft 2| will move the trolley laterally at the same time as the drum 28 will take up or give out of cable 29 so as to keep the 25 microphone in the same elevation. To change the elevation of the microphone 3| it is necessary to start the reversible motor 36. All three motors may be controlled in known way by push button control from the control room. The disc 1 I with the motors and drums are all covered by a cover 31 with the boom 10 extending radially through a slot in same.

In Figures 3 and 4 is shown a simplified modification of my invention in a form suitable for use where rotation in 360 degrees is desirable. In this case no track is employed, the boom l0 being supported by a stay 38 fastened at one end to the eye 39 and at the other end to the turn buckle 49 by which means a suitable tension may be ob- 4o tained. The turn buckle 49 is fastened to a mem ber supported from the hub M the lower end of which also supports the inner end of boom [0. On hub I4 is mounted a worm gear 4 I driven by motor 43 supported on plate 16. Hub 14 further supports motor 44 the shaft of which carries drums 45 and 46. Drum 46 is connected to shaft 41 of motor 44 by means of an electrically operated clutch while drum 45 is rigidly connected to the shaft. Drum 46 carries several turns of cable 49 50 which is endlessly connected to trolley 25 over pulley 59 at the far end of boom [0 and the return of this cable 49 goes through the tubular part of beam in to drum 46.

The microphone cable 29 is rolled up on phone. v *contactor 54 may be located in any convenient 45 :from which it leaves through sheaves 5|. and 52 and follows-the boom I to pulley 30 and microphone 3| as-explained above.

In Fig. 5. is shown the electrical hookup for the control of motor 44 which in the latter embodiment of my: invention serves to obtain both 7 lateral and vertical movements of the micro- The reversing switch 53- and the magnetic location While the push button switches 55; 5 6, 51,

push buttonswitches'55 and 56 serve to start the motor 44 in one or the other direction causingan inward or respectively outward movement of the fmuch similar to that described for the firstcembodiment of my invention. The drums liand 46 are made of suitable diameter so that when both f rotate at the same speed in one 'directionthe. trolley 25 is moved while the microphone is maintained'on a fixed level. By pushing either one a of the two push button switches 51 and58c the magnetic clutch 48 will disengage the drum 45 'from the shaft 4Tand at the same time applya brake to prevent the cable from rolling off. This ywillfil'eave the trolley 25 in a fixed position-while 'thefmicrophone' 3| may be raised or lowered at will by operating drum'45. It is thus seen that the four push button switches 55, 56, 5?,Iand 58 will inturn respectively cause the following actions as shownin Fig. 5: In, Out, Up, Down.

' Two-separate'ipush button switches for the operation of motor 43 will enable the production man to turn the boom into any desirableposition, thesev switchesuna-y suitably be marked Left and Right. 'It is obvious from the foregoing a that severalmovements may be done simultanetion of the motors.

ously. In the. first described embodiment of m y invention where three motors'are used three separate movements may be done at one time; while in the latter case two may be carried out simul' taneously.

In Fig. 3 is further shown the conduit 59 termin'ating in conduit box 66 directly above the end ofthehollow pivot i 5. j be brought in. thei requiredwiring fo-r the :opera Separate conduits may be Through this conduit may "similarly placed to carry the heavily shielded microphoneicablefrom the drum 45 to the control room. The cover 31,"as shown in Figures 3' and 4, is mounted'on thehub- M and rotates with a 1 the boom IB', a slot for the boom is therefore not necessary. The cover 3'! entirely encloses the operatin'gm'echanism and the unique compact construction produces a device which may be easily mounted under the ceiling and which is uncording studios.

obstructive and o-f pleasing appearance.

' It will thus be seen that there has been pro:

vided a simple, relatively inexpensive, dependable and yet unique means for'automatically locating the -microphone in broadcasting and sound re-r This inventionv is of a novel and.

valuable typew ell calculated to attain its various objects; Thiese objects have heretofore not been possible "of attainment as no such' apparatuswas lcnown which would fully meet all the require merits pertaining to the present invention. While 7 Yvarious particulars of description; as to materials;

' parts "and shapings have been hereinabove detailed, this has been done in aidof disclosing as clearly as possible an embodiment of the invention asnowpreferred; audit is to be understood that these can be varied, apparently to a large extent,

within the appended claimsQwhich' define thescope'of the protection contemplated.

of said beam, said wheel travelling on a circular track concentric with said pivot; a radially moveable trolley on said horizontal beam; microphone supporting means carried by said trolleyamotordriven take-upmean'sfor the microphone cable; motor-driven means whereby said radial beam,

said trolleyiand said microphone may be moved atwill. trolley 25. The mechanism of this operation is bination offa ceiling supported pivot; a horizontal radial'beam supported atone end on said pivot; a'WheelJjournalled at the opposite end of said beam, said wheel travelling on. a circular track concentric with said pivot; a radially moveable trolley on said horizontal beam; microphone supporting means carried by said trolley; a circus lar discVmounted-at thepivotal end of said horizontal beam, said dischavinggeart teeth out on part'of its circumference; a reversible motor driven worm engaging said gear teeth whereby said disc and horizontal radial beam may be moved ina sweeping circular motion. a

4. In an automatic microphone boom thecombination ofav ceiling supported pivotal arbor; a horizontal radial beam supported at one end on said pivotal arbor; a wheel journalledat the opposite end of said beam, said wheel travelling on a circular track concentric with said pivotal arher; a radially moveable trolley on said horizontal beam; a circular discmounted at the pivotal end of said horizontal beam; a motor-driven drum mounted on said disc; wireropesfrom said drum running as an endless belt to a pulley on "the track end of said horizontal beam; one point of 'said wire rope connected to said trolley whereby radial movements of same may be obtained by runningthe motor one way or the other; -5. In an automatic microphone boom the combination of a ceiling supported pivotal arbor; ;a horizontal radial .beamrotatable around said arbor a moveable trolley on said horizontal beam; remote controlled motor-drivencable drums supported by said pivotal arbor, microphone supporting and electric conducting means 'enlgageable on said drums and said trolley.

6; ln an-automatic' microphone boom the combination ofga pivotal arbor, a horizontal radial beam rotatably mountedonisaid arbor, a moveable trolley on said beam, a pulleysupported from said-trolley, amicrophone cable running over said pulley andsupporting a microphone at one end; take-up drums for said microphone cable 'mounted at the pivotal end of said radial beam;

remote controlled motor driven means coacting with said take-up drums, motor driven means forturning said radial beam around said arbor thereby permitting three independent motionsgf themicrophone at one time. 7 V I DRAMIN DANIEL= JONES.- 

